Misty Boyce

If you've listened to enough pop music over your years of taking in culture, you'll eventually come to realize that things just can't be the way you'd want them to be. Yes, there is some truth in the existence of the lowest common denominator. Hey, it's "popular" music for a reason. A pretty big majority of listeners aren't all that interested in being challenged. They just want to have fun. Lady Gaga, Justin Beiber, Rihanna — fun is the word. Same as it ever was.
Every so often there are surprises, when music of a little more complexity and subtlety breaks through to the top. The last huge one was probably Norah Jones. I thought for sure that Regina Spektor was going to be next. She's done well but hasn't turned out to be the huge commercial phenomenon that Norah was.
Maybe this is all for the good. Not that it always happens, but I sort of hate to see artists pressured by their fame to maintain a certain direction and speed. It's also disheartening to read of the inevitable pile-on that follows after somebody hits it big. Sometimes it seems like the public enjoys knocking down the successful artist more than reveling in their good fortune.
Don't take this to mean that I'm necessarily dooming songwriter/pianist Misty Boyce to a career of obscurity and Ramen noodle dinners. I sure hope that's not what happens, though she does fit right in that gray area with material that's maybe too sophisticated for pop, too pop for the sophisticates.
Maybe.
On first listen, the opening track "Razor," made me think that my finger would soon be wandering over to the "eject" button. Though my ears were drawn to the sprightly verse with its staccato piano chords as well as the windup to the chorus, the arrival of that refrain just screamed "Generic!!" That's because I wasn't listening yet. Repeated visits unearthed a wealth of pop detailing, including strings shadowing the vocal melody. One particular detail stood out, but I couldn't quite figure out what it was. Then the name popped out: Olivia Newton John.


Read more: http://blogcritics.org/music/article/music-review-misty-boyce-misty-boyce/#ixzz0sBeEyKMr - Blogcritics.org

see link - Indie Sound NY

f you’re a regular watcher of some day time television, chances are you’ve caught Misty Boyce performing with her former group, The Naked Brothers Band (performing on both “The View” and “Today Show”). Today, Boyce has successfully etched out her own solo slot on the indie scene, preparing to release her latest self-titled effort. We asked Misty about the work: “I think people can expect an unfolding. The subject matter covers about a two-year span of my life during which I've hurt people, I've been hurt, I dealt with family issues, I tackled my destructive habits, I fell in love, and then fell deeper in love… I'm proud of the work I've done and I'm proud of the work others have done to get it heard.”

And Boyce should be proud – she’s got a sound all her own. In her words, “I have some interesting melodies and my words are unusual but poignant. But, more generally, and maybe more importantly, I think that there is an intention behind what I do that I sometimes miss when listening to a lot of what's out there. I'm completely IN. I'm IN it when I write it and I'm IN it when I perform it.”

Speaking of performances – don’t skip the chance to catch Misty live. Her band, which includes drummer Nir Z (John Mayer, Chris Cornell), guitarist Thad Debrock (Ari Hest, Jonas Brothers) and bassist/MD Eshy Gazit (The Roots, Lisa Loeb) is clearly… also very much accomplished. She’ll be touring strong for the self-titled record, so keep an eye out. There’s much more below, so keep reading for the answers to the XXQ’s.

XXQs: Misty Boyce

PEV: How would you describe your sound and what do you feel makes you stand out over the others in your genre?



Misty Boyce (TW): This is a tough question. Based on what others have said, I have some interesting melodies and my words are unusual but poignant. But, more generally, and maybe more importantly, I think that there is an intention behind what I do that I sometimes miss when listening to a lot of what's out there. I'm completely IN. I'm IN it when I write it and I'm IN it when I perform it.



PEV: Hailing from New Mexico, what kind of music where you into growing up? Was anyone your main influence?



MB: I mean, if I take it WAY back, I was only exposed to what was on pop radio for a long time. So... Mariah Carey. HUGE Mariah Carey fan. When I was five I could sing every word from her debut. Then I went to country radio. Got obsessed with Reba McEntire. Then, my mom moved to Houston when I was around 12, and I started getting introduced to some things off the New Mexico-radio beaten path. Like Tori Amos and Radiohead. Those two I stayed true to, as they stayed true to me, all the way through high school and into college. And even now. Especially now. Because they have CAREERS. They've kept working...through the fame and through the pressure, they only kept making art. I aspire to mirror that.



PEV: Having played in the business for a good time now, what was it like for the band when you first started out?



MB: Well. "The band" has sort of changed as my writing changed. When I first moved to New York, I was fresh out of jazz school and was still trying to incorporate a lot of jazz into songwriting. I think mostly to show off that I had that kind of knowledge - that I was different from the other singer-songwriters I'd hear who only knew four chords and all sounded the same. But, as my desire grew to become truer to myself and to the nature of a "good song", I began simplifying...so, naturally, the players would change to meet the new needs of the songs.



PEV: Having taught music, toured with bands like the Naked Brothers, and played packed houses, do you remember the first time you thought to yourself during your career – “I am really onto something!”?



MB: Hmmm. It took me a moment of shuffling through the slideshow of memories, but I can in fact recall a time when I felt that. And oddly enough, there were only two people there to witness it, including myself. It was the first time I recorded the song "Trouble". I was at Dog House studios with Mark Marshall engineering, and I was there to record some other song, but I banged it out and had another hour of studio time. So I picked up a classical nylon-string guitar (which I don't really play) and just started messing around with this new song I had just finished. The chords were easy enough, and I added some percussive trick I had seen my friend Lara do, and it excited me, so I just asked Mark if I could lay it down real quick. When we listened back, it was the most simple, pure, honest emotion I'd ever expressed in the simplest way I could express it. A rare and beautiful moment.



PEV: What can fans expect from a live Misty Boyce show?



MB: They can expect me to be there. Fully there. Putting in everything I have. My songs are a bit of an emotional roller-coaster... there are some you can dance to, and some you will cry to, but no matter what, I'm ALL IN.



PEV: What is the first thing that comes to mind when you step on stage?



MB: Is my keyboard on the right sound? Ha! Then... hopefully… nothing.



PEV: Tell us about your upcoming self titled release. What can fans expect from this album?



MB: I think people can expect an unfolding. The subject matter covers about a two-year span of my life during which I've hurt people, I've been hurt, I dealt with family issues, I tackled my destructive habits, I fell in love, and then fell deeper in love. This record is really a whole cycle of life. A death and then rebirth. I'm proud of it. I'm proud of the work I've done and I'm proud of the work others have done to get it heard.



PEV: What was the underlining inspiration for your music? Where do get your best ideas for songs?



MB: Life! And the artists around me! I've been fortunate to have aligned with some amazing talent in New York who have led me to some of the most inspiring music of my life. My good friend, Tim Williams, turned me on to the music of Emily Haines, who has been my beacon of creative life-force for the past couple years. My boyfriend, Nick Africano, and my long-time friend Matt Basille are two artists that continually inspire me in their own work and have helped me make some serious shifts in my writing.



PEV: What’s one thing we’d be surprised to hear about Misty Boyce?



MB: I go tanning! Haha!! I get the blues in the winter here on the east coast (I'm a desert lizard!!), so I started going to a tanning salon once a month to get some rays and Vitamin D in my bones!!



PEV: Was there a certain point in your life when you knew that music was going to be a career for you?



MB: Yes! I was 13. Jewel's "Pieces of You" came out, and I was so fascinated by her story and the idea of just a girl in a van and a guitar playing in coffee shops. I was like...yes! I want that! The romance of a troubadour existence, along with the impact that music was having in my life as an adolescent looking for a place in the world was enough to send me on this whirlwind!



PEV: What one word best describes Misty Boyce?



MB: "!" or "?"



PEV: How is life on the road for you in the music world? Best and worst parts?



MB: It really depends on the situation. When I'm touring solo, the worst is having a long drive at night after a gig...and playing at sports bars. The best is that I'm playing my own music, and every single person who buys a CD or tells me they like my music feels like a HUGE accomplishment. When I'm touring with another band, the worst...well...let's say the "most difficult" part is learning how to co-exist with a bunch of personalities and stake out my autonomy. The best is getting to play lots of places and see lots of things without any pressure...I'm just along for the ride!



PEV: Is there one area you wish you could travel around and play that you have not yet?



MB: Europe! I'm especially obsessed with playing in France. I'm even taking a French class right now. I'm determined to make it happen!



PEV: How have all your friends and family reacted to your career? What’s it like when you get to play at your hometown?



MB: The reception in my home town is always loving. I think that, even if my friends and family don't necessarily love my music, they're really proud of me. They watched me want it, and then watched me try it, and then watched me do it.



PEV: What can we find you doing in your spare time, aside from playing/writing music?



MB: I read a lot, and I do Yoga, and I practice French, and I dance to Metric alone in my box of an apartment, and I try to play Chopin, and I make dinner while listening to "Fresh Air".



PEV: Is there an up and coming band or artist you think we should all be looking out for now?



MB: Tim Williams. Nick Africano. Misty Boyce.



PEV: If you weren’t playing music now what would you would doing for your career?



MB: Gees...I've asked myself that many times when I'm feeling uncertain about the future. And the answer is always... I HAVE NO IDEA! And that's sort of frightening...but also...it's freeing. I have no Plan B. There's nothing else I'd be content doing. I tell myself, "I'm built to survive. Whatever I HAVE to do, I will be able to do." But as long as I have a choice, I choose the path I'm on.



PEV: So, what is next for Misty Boyce?



MB: Well, the future is so unknown. Hopefully people will like this record and that will allow me to make more! And will allow me to tour this music to more places! But until then, I occupy my writing time with a project that sprang from the tour Nick and I did together in the Southwest, called "Clyde", after my grandfather and the town that he and my grandmother live in, and where my mama was raised. It's totally inspired by the land where I'm from and the music of Gillian Welch and Emmylou Harris and Elvis Perkins. A TOTAL departure from what you'll hear on this debut. "Clyde" might only manifest as a writing exercise for us both, but that will be enough to justify its existence.

- Pen's Eye View

Everyone has a different, stress-relieving outlet. For some, it may be reading a novel. For others, it may be working out.

For Misty Boyce, the outlet is music.

“I think as a kid [music] is always an outlet for things that you feel,” she said. “I think that has gotten to be more and more true. It’s an outlet that I need in my life to sort of keep me sane. Both as a listener and a performer, I really need it, like medicine.”

Boyce, along with Nick Africano, will use her musical outlet today at 8 p.m. at Public Space One, 129 E. Washington St. Admission is $5.

Her love of music started at age 5, when she began taking piano lessons. She became more serious about the piano when she turned 13. After graduating from the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music with a major in jazz, she became a professional singer/songwriter.

When asked to describe her music, Boyce explained it as “pop with a bit of quirkiness or Regina Spektor meets Patti Smith.” This style is evidenced in her songs — her voice drips soulfully against the piano as she croons lyrics of heartbreak and toil.

Unlike Boyce, Africano taught himself how to play the guitar and piano. He said that he has enjoyed touring with Boyce.

“I love her as an artist,” Africano said. “She just feels and seems to be so comfortable on stage, and it’s really inspiring. She comes on, and she plays a little bit more of an upbeat set. And I think we complement each other very well.”

The two musicians will play both solo and together at tonight’s show.

“We’ve been having a great time exploring the country and playing at all these different places that I’ve never played before or even driven through,” Boyce said.

She has been away from her New York home for four months this year while on tour. Besides performing, she said, she loves reading, working out, and “doing little art projects in her apartment.”

She also lists tequila shots among her inspirations on her MySpace page. She does not drink that much, she said, but when she does, two tequila shots do the trick.

Besides touring, Boyce writes all her own music. She explained the songwriting process as “a magical one” in which the music and words come to her as she sits at the piano. Considering her lifelong study of music, she feels that she has all the necessary tools to write songs and the next step is “just doing it.”

She is looking forward to her performance with Africano tonight, she said, and she believes the show is going to be “awesome.”

“The Iowa City gig is kind of at the end of our whole tour, so you’re going to see us with all of the experiences behind us,” Boyce said. “I think our music is getting deeper and richer every time we play, so I think it will be a really great show.”
- Daily Iowan